Pupils at a school in Madhya Pradesh were allegedly receiving Bible lessons and being taken to church. The principal of the school has been accused and the superintendent of the hostel has been arrested in relation to this matter today, March 10.

As per a police official, a group from the Bal Kalyan Samiti (Child Welfare Committee) conducted a surprise visit to the St Joseph School hostel, located in the Ghoreghat Panchayat area, within the Mavai police station boundaries. During the visit, Samiti members Omkar Singh and Anurag Pandey reportedly discovered that the children were receiving Bible lessons and being taken to church, as per a report by PTI.

The inspection was conducted on March 4. Singh and Pandey then reported the matter to the Kishore Nyay Board (Juvenile Justice Board) after which an FIR was registered against Sebastian and Singh under relevant sections of the Child Labour (Prevention and Regulation) Act, Indian Penal Code, Juvenile Justice Act, Religious Freedom Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"The accused have been identified as school principal Father GB Sebastian and hostel superintendent Kunwar Singh. Singh was arrested on Thursday (March 9), while Sebastian is absconding. We have filed an application for Singh's remand but the court is yet to give an order," Mavai police station in-charge Santosh Sisodia said, as per PTI.